4D-printed Stimuli-responsive sCaffolds persOnalized deVices Endoscopic suRgerY (DISCOVERY)
Bando “Fondo Italiano per le Scienze Applicate (FISA)” MIUR FISA 2022 – Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca (MIUR) – Sezione Engineering and Technology.
Protocollo FISA-2022-00933
Decreto Direttoriale n. 1352 del 25-08-2023
Endoscopic surgery is quickly growing as it is less invasive and allows for a faster recovery of the patient and shorter hospitalization time. Endoscopic surgery is even more important in some scenarios, such as neuro-otolaryngology, head and neck and some dental surgery, where being the least invasive is paramount, to increase the patient’s well-being, decrease post-surgical secondary effects and shorten the hospitalization. However, endoscopic surgeries to replace missing bones are strongly limited by the impossibility of introducing scaffolds at the end of the surgery to protect the surgical site while still promoting the regeneration of the bone.
DISCOVERY proposes a disruptive innovation introducing “smart scaffolds” made by stimuli-responsive 4Dprinted biocompatible innovative materials for endoscopic surgery. Such scaffolds are folded and miniaturized for the insertion through small cavities, but are able to change their geometrical shape and dimensions once allocated in the site by unfolding under a suitable stimulus.
The project starts at TRL3 and ends at TRL5. The outputs will be two demonstrators of 4D printed scaffolds made by stimuli-responsive biocompatible polymer, suitable for endoscopic surgery in neuro-otolaryngology and dental surgery.
The partnership is largely transdisciplinary and diverse, with expertise in the fields of Material Science and Technology, Medicine, Mechanical Design, Microbiology, Biostatistics and Socio-Economy. Gender equality and inclusiveness are highly considered in project management.
Project Manager: Prof. Dr. Francesca Nanni – Università degli studi di Roma “Tor Vergata” – Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Impresa “Mario Lucertini”
Partners:
University of Rome Tor Vergata,
Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (UNICATT),
University of Brescia (UNIBS),
University of Padua (UniPD),
Pegaso Telematic University (UNIPEGASO).
